


Tales of a mother’s love

by PenguinProduction05



Series: Mother’s love [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:41:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 5,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25011070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PenguinProduction05/pseuds/PenguinProduction05
Summary: A mother's love, the main story ended, but life does go on. Join Sabine and her family as they go through life. Ups and downs, joys and fears. But, is the past truly behind them, or does destiny really have a way of coming true?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain
Series: Mother’s love [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810885
Comments: 9
Kudos: 14





	1. Fu

**Author's Note:**

> This is a series of one shots, snaps of their lives post the battle of Paris. 
> 
> Chapter lengths will vary, just like memories, some are long while others are short.

Chinese New Year was a big deal in her family, and she wanted to give Adrien as many happy memories as she could. Marinette had spent months designing their outfits, and now in a small village outside of the Wuhan province, her designs were on display by her living mannequins. 

Sabine watched as Marinette showed Adrien around, the blond interacting just as well as she was with the citizens. 

“I’ll go find your mother,” Tom said as he fixed the suitcase he was carrying on his shoulder. Sabine nodded as she went back to examining the town she grew up in. 

So much had changed, so many dialects had merged here. It still had that small farming town feel, but now, it almost seemed like a rural city. 

She turned to call for her kids, when she saw a small familiar figure. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the fragile old man. Her feet moved before her brain could think. 

“How dare you!” She seethed, her voice low so only he and she could hear. The man looked up from under his large hat. 

“Sabine, enjoying the new year?” Fu asked as if they were friends. 

“Why are you here?” Sabine demanded, there was no reason he should be near her hometown, it held nothing special that concerned him. Fu looked around, stroking his beard. She caught the glistening of the miraculous around his wrist. Anger fueled her more. 

“I am simply searching,” he replied. Sabine narrowed her eyes. She wasn’t one to resort to violence so quickly, but, for Fu, she would make an exception. 

“Leave, you have done enough damage to my family.” Sabine snarled. She felt her body trembling with her held anger. Knew that her eyes blazed with fury. Fu smiled as he eyed Adrien and Marinette. 

She acted without thinking, saw him eyeing her children and instinct took over. As he staggered back from her punch, she seemed to regain some thought. People stared, Marinette and Adrien were at her side. 

“Let’s go,” Adrien whispered, pulling both mother and daughter away from the now frowning old man. 

“Destiny can not be broken,” Fu called as the three retreated away into the crowd...


	2. Youth

Marinette didn’t consider herself popular. With the appearance of Lila, she also didn’t consider herself a strong fighter. Adrien said take the high road, but that went out the window the moment the liar cornered her and threatened her in the bathroom. 

Adrien knee not to anger her, he knew to stay away from her teeth. Apparently no one told her classmates that. 

Marinette smiled as Lila finished her threat, that twisted grin she wore slowly sliding off her face as Marinette walked forward, her own smile wide and demented. 

“You really think you can threaten me? Adrien has been through enough, to know a snake like you dares to hurt him after what he’s been through, going through?” She laughed humorlessly. “No, it’s me you should fear.” 

Lila didn’t have long to think about what was just said to her, Marinette was inches from her face, delicate fingers holding her phone, the whole conversation recorded. 

“I am a queen, mess with my king, and I ruin  _ you.”  _ She smirked before turning on her heel and walking from the bathroom. Adrien saw her coming, chin up and smirking as if she had just fought a god and won. 

He smiled at her, watching her descend the stairs like an angel. His heart beat drummed in his ears, he was filled with love for her. Then he saw Lila. 

She was the devil that chased his angel. Eyes filled with anger, her red hair like fire flowing behind her. Adrien felt his blood turn cold. Marinette was at his side, her warm touch on his arm grounding him as Lila approached them. Her words a hissed warning. Twisting reality with each syllable, Lila was the harsh reminder of his new role. How he wasn’t trusted, wasn’t the beloved citizen he was before. A reminder of how bare his finger felt now that the war was over. 

“I will beat you Dupain- Cheng, you can't protect him forever.” Lila warned before stomping off in anger. Marinette smiled at him, but his was fake. He couldn’t shake the devils words. He was bad. The warm hand in his turned cold. Adrien was evil...

He sat in his room listening to the family outside his door. They laughed, they joked together. They were a family, just not  _ his.  _ His was evil, his was a mad terrorist. 

“Adrien?” Marinette’s worried tone drifted through the door making Adrien flinch. 

‘ _ He was born evil, even his father didn’t want him.’  _

_ ‘He’s the son of Hawkmoth,’ _

_ ‘Not a hero,’  _

His head was filled with the voices of the many in Paris. 

“Adrien, please come out.” Marinette called again. He hid under his blanket, reverting back to a small child. A time when everything was perfect and he could hide from the monsters of reality in the warm darkness of his bed. 

He couldn’t face her, couldn’t face the world. If she was right, if he did snap.  _ Was he evil? _

The door opened, he drilled, holding his breath as soft footsteps entered. The door shut with a soft click as his mattress sunk down slightly. 

“What happened dear?” Sabine asked, as always she was gentle and patient with him. Adrien cried harder as he hugged his pillow closer. 

“Tom and Marinette are about to go to war, I would like to know your stance before I set them loose.” Sabine teased. Adrien felt his blanket get pulled away, his hair zapping from static as he looked up at Sabine’s smiling face. 

“My poor boy, just what is going through your head?” She smiled, gently stroking back his hair, combing it from the messy bed head, to a more tamed look. Adrien looked away ashamed. He didn’t deserve comfort, he deserved the hatred. Paris deserved to blame someone for his father's crimes. Who better than him? His father’s son.

“What do I do?” He whispered, broken and defeated. Sabine frowned, watching as his mind made decisions for him. 

“Show then they are wrong, prove to them,  _ yourself,  _ that you are  _ not  _ your father.” Sabine told him, her voice strong and determined. 

“And as always Adrien, we are here to help you. No matter what.” Sabine reminded him. Adrien smiled, a new path, a new option becoming clear in his head. 

“Thanks mom,” he smiled. Sabine patted his knee before standing up. 

“Come eat, or I let Tom and Marinette come and embarrass you.” She warned. 


	3. Fried green tomatoes

We have all watched a true crime drama, seen how they dissect a murder crime. But, you never truly feel fear, until those you watch it with, begin to comment so casually about how they would have done it better, and not get caught. 

Tom, Sabine, and sweet Marinette, were all psychopaths. I loved them, don’t get me wrong, but I already had one parent crazy enough to attempt with magic jewellery. I didn’t need a repeat. 

“Why boast about killing a girl to your new girl? You don’t boast that shit, you just kill her if she fucks up. Don’t warn her!” Marinette hissed. 

“That’s why I always tell you to just let me know. I have a place ready and pigs eat anything and everything.” Tom added. Sabine didn’t look up from her knitting as she smiled and clicked her tongue. 

“Remember, we live in the middle of Paris, you still have to hide the body.” She smiled. I blink, had anyone heard or seen that master Fu guy? Was my dad still in prison?

“Adrien, can you go get me a drink?” Marinette asked. I stood up, grateful for the distraction as I hurried to the kitchen. My eyes went to the oven, swallowing thickly as I eyed the beef stew that slowly cooked inside. 

How long did it take to cook a human? These people were bakers and Sabine was right, it was hard to get a body out of Paris, they had to hide it someway...

I returned to the living room, handing Marinette her drink. The show had ended and a new one began. Sitting down beside Marinette, I try to catch up on what was happening. Almost lost in my thoughts, I tense slightly when I feel Marinette lean against my shoulder. Her eyes were slightly closed, her breathing evening out as the now empty glass of water I gave her, leaned dangerously on her lap. 

I stayed still, my hand grabbing hers as I took her drink away with the other hand. I had to tell her soon, we needed a break. Right now, it just wasn’t good for us to date. 

“Sleep, I’ll wake you later princess,” clearly though, I am very selfish. I want to be with her, to love her. But Lila, Paris, even myself. Common sense tells me I can’t be in a relationship. My mental state isn’t good. I  _ need _ to fix myself before getting into a relationship. 

The young and newly freed me,  _ wants  _ to date, to cause trouble. 

I hold tighter to her hand, closing my eyes as I hear Tom and Sabine leave us alone to finish dinner. The television still talks about a woman almost getting away with murder. As I sit there on the sofa, holding the hand of the woman I love, I realize, just how easily I could murder someone for hurting my Marinette. 

It scared me how easily I could picture myself killing Lila Rossi.


	4. A father knows

Tom watched as Adrien retreated to his room. Another day where the poor boy was forced into hiding. Today’s reason, a group of girls came to watch the  _ son of Hawkmoth,  _ as if he were a circus animal on display. Sabine and Marinette were quick to chase them away, but not before damage was done. 

It wasn’t the worst Adrien has been through since the reveal. Tom shivered at the memory of walking in on Adrien being almost sexually assaulted by an older woman just because she wanted revenge for what his father had done. 

“Son?” Tom called, gently knocking on the guest room door. It was now Adrien’s, but lately he had seen the boy distance himself. Was he planning on running?

“I’m ok, I just want to be alone.” Adrien called back, his voice wet with tears. Tom pressed his head to the door, his hands balled into fist. He hated how hurt the boy was and sounded. 

“Pack your things, just the essential. You and I are going on a trip.” Tom

ordered, his tone one to not disagree with. Adrien was at the center of the living room and hour later, his bag over his shoulder. Marinette had dressed him in a sleeveless black tank with green long board shorts. 

“Camping?” Adrien asked, confused. He had heard of camping, but had never done the activity. 

“It’s a boys night, you, me, and I invited Nino.” Tom beamed as Nino and Alya walked in. The DJ was holding three backpacks as Alya took a seat beside Marinette. 

“You need to escape from the city, the girls can keep the fort until we get back.” Tom smiled.

“Dude, I can’t wait to teach you all about swimming and catching fish with your hands.” Nino said as he hugged his friend. As the three boys left, Sabine and Alya sighed. 

“They are doomed,” Sabine mused.

“Nino has never been camping, the best he has done is watching  _ Naked and Afraid,  _ on tv.” Alya replied. Marinette smiled as she placed a hand on their shoulders. 

“Don’t worry,  _ I  _ packed Adrien’s bag. Things go downhill, he has a way to contact us.” Marinette explained. 

Adrien was glad he knew how to climb. He had never realized bears lived in France. 

“No one tell the girls,” Tom ordered as Nino groaned into the tree bark. 

“I couldn’t  _ bare  _ to leave this bears side.” Adrien punned to lighten the mood. Tom and Nino groaned before Tom laughed. 

“That’s my son,”


	5. Do I love her?

She was strong willed and independent. She took after her father, easily startled and panicky at times. She also took after her mother, able too plan and execute things easily with determination. My heart pounded whenever she was near, but, on the other hand, all of Paris was divided on their opinion of me. I was talked to and watched with fear. My every move was carefully dissected by news outlets and conspiracy theorists. I was the son of Hawkmoth, the villain in disguise. Some were happy my miraculous was gone, others worried I could still do damage. 

It was that worry, that shred of doubt that filled not only them, but me as well, that caused me to push them away. Paris was right, maybe I was evil. Until I was sure, I could never be with the one I loved. It’s why, as I packed my bags the last week of school, that I broke her heart. 

Tom was angry with me, Sabine understood me. But Marinette’s tears broke me. I kissed her cheek, said my goodbye, and left for a small flat I had found on the outskirts of town. I had a plan, and once I achieved that plan, then I could be with her. 

“Adrien,” Sabine called, making me look over. She rested a hand on my shoulder. “You can come back whenever, you know that right.”

I smile, nod, and hold my bag tighter. When school ended in a week, I would go to the academy and become a member of the Police. Prove myself worthy, to myself, and most importantly, to her, to Marinette.

But, she is Marinette, and she is stubborn. I should have seen her appearing at my door late every night. I should have known she would try to keep a semblance of what was in our new changing lifestyles. And once school ended, I was packing once more. 

“Do you have to go?” Marinette asked. I nodded my head, smirking as I ruffled her hair. She wore it down now, her eyes seemed brighter, maybe because of the tears that refused to fall, or perhaps it was the fact that he still loved her. 

“Just for a few years Marinette, and I’ll visit on holiday.” I assured her, I couldn’t stay away. 

“You work on becoming a fashion guru, okay?” I handed her the key to my place, she would keep it safe until my return. 

“This place will look good as new when I’m done.” She beamed. I knew it would. I had to leave before I gave her hope for us again. Before I gave myself hope. 

“Chaton?” She whispered, I shook my head before placing a hand over hers. 

“Goodbye princess,” I kept my voice even until I was in the waiting taxi, only then did I let my tears for her fall. 


	6. Return

The academy was not what he had expected. The rumors still followed him, but he found himself too busy to actually care. Gun training, daily workouts, classes. He barely had time to think. So when he had time to actually taste freedom again, he ran. Exploring the new city miles from Paris. The beaches of Normandy held tourists and regulars, he enjoyed blending in for once and not getting glares because of who he was. He had cut his hair short and wore the police trainee uniform, he looked different. 

“You look well Adrien,” the familiar voice had him spinning around and glaring at the small elderly man. 

“Fu,” he said, unsure how he should feel at seeing the man again. Fu nodded as he turned to look at the people around the beach. 

“Tell me, do you miss it?” Fu asked. Adrien was silent. This was the man who had caused all his problems, the reason he couldn’t be with Marinette right now, why he couldn’t go home. 

“No,” he replied, Adrien wanted nothing Fu could offer him. He was done with magic. If he wanted to protect his loved ones, he would do so as a cop. A hero without powers. 

Fu held out the ring, watching Adrien carefully. The two were silent. Temptation, the power of destruction, Plagg. Adrien looked away, guilt at himself for wanting to reach out, even after knowing what drawbacks that power held. 

“Leave,” Adrien ordered, still unable to look at the man. Fu frowned as he moved the ring closer to Adrien’s hand. 

“You are Destruction,” Fu told him, Adrien turned, glaring at the man. 

“No,  _ you  _ are destructive. Because of you,  _ I  _ lost my family, I was tormented out of Paris. Forced to give up the one I love.” Adrien ranted, “because of you and those jewels, I am here.” He seethed. Fu listened calmly, only angering him more. 

“Get away from me, before I arrest you.” Adrien ordered. Fu sighed, pocketing the ring and shaking his head. 

“It seems, I have again made a mistake,” he whispered leaving Adrien to question him as he watched the old man walk away. 


	7. Cafe shots

Adrien was an officer, well, he was a secretary with a badge. Though he worked in filing, it didn’t stop Marinette visiting with coffee everyday. The angel of the department.  _ His  _ angel. 

“Hey baby girl,” Adrien smiled as he spotted her enter the building. She was all smiles, so bright and happy. 

“How is your day?” He asked,

taking the offered cup. Marinette blushed, looking down. Over the past few years, she had come to terms with Adrien and her separation. 

She smiled softly, an act that made Adrien blush. 

“I met a guy who works at the cafe,” she admitted, the words making Adrien’s heart crack. Was he too late? Had he lost her for good?

“His name is Theo,” she continued, taking a seat at his desk. Adrien sipped his drink for something to do. 

The days turned to months, and Adrien was forced to hear how their flirting turned to dating. He became the supportive best friend. Helping her pick out clothes and listening to her gossip. He hurt, she was happy. 

He worked late hours now, especially when she had her date nights. Listening to the scanner for any news that could be traced to her. He worried for her. He didn’t trust Theo, and if the files on his desk meant anything, he had a right not to. But  _ she  _ didn’t listen to his warning. 

“ _ He’s a changed man, and you are just jealous,”  _ she had scoffed. 

“ _ Forgive me for worrying for my friend!”  _ He had snapped back. 

It was thin ice after that fight. It was getting late, nearing midnight. Checking his phone, he frowned and sent Marinette a text. 

‘Sleeping?’ He texted before gathering his things and heading for the door. 

“Adrien!” Tom’s voice thundered over the precinct as the man rushed towards him. Adrien saw the panic in his eyes, his own worry filling him. Was Sabine alright? Had something happened to Marinette? Why hadn’t he heard anything before?

“Come on, we need to get to the hospital.” Tom ordered, dragging Adrien behind him. The older man was in a panic, close to hysterics. Something major had happened. 

The ride to the hospital seemed to take ages, impatience and lack of information leaving Adrien near his own hysterics. Once they arrived at ER, Tom and Adrien were in tears, and only one of them actually knew why they were here. 

“Oh Tom, Adrien!” Sabine cried when she saw them. Sabine wasn’t hurt, that left Marinette. A new wave of fear, anger, and sickness filled him as he looked around for Theo. 

“What happened?” Adrien asked, swallowing his emotion and adjusting his uniform. 

“We don’t know, we were closing shop, and officer Roger called to let us know Marinette was hurt.” Sabine explained through tears. Tom hugged her as Adrien went to the front desk. Maybe they had information. 

He sat in the waiting room, Marinette still in the room being worked on. Sabine and Tom were asleep as best they could as he worked on finding Theo. 

“You could come back,” Adrien looked up from his papers. Plagg hovered before him, the silver miraculous hanging from his tiny hands. 

“Pigtails is worth it right?” The kwami asked, “a fine aged cheese?” 

“Don’t compare Marinette to cheese Plagg.” Adrien chided. His eyes still focused on the ring. With the miraculous, he could find Theo, he could make him pay for hurting Marinette, he could protect her. Plagg’s eyes seemed to glow brighter as Adrien took the ring. 

He glanced at Sabine before setting aside his things and making his way to the roof. He would take any repercussions later, right now, Marinette was more important...


	8. Chapter 8

Marinette still loved Adrien, she still cared about him. But that didn’t mean she was resigned to being alone. Until he was ready to get back together, she was open for someone to hold her at night. When Theo had appeared, she thought her lonely days were over. He seemed perfect, but she should have listened to Adrien. Nothing was perfect. 

She should have known when he mentioned the date. How he had a surprise for her. He normally hates surprises. The other odd thing, he had told her what to wear. He had been controlling in the past, but that night, he seemed to want nothing more than a simple doll to play with. 

_ She was that doll _ . 

He had blindfolded her, telling her he didn’t want to ruin the surprise. She called herself kidnapped the moment she felt handcuffs on her wrist. She was strapped in the car, couldn’t move as he raised her dress and she tried to forget his feel, his touches. 

Raped, beaten, tortured. All before being stabbed and left outside of the hospital. She remembered him cleaning her, making sure no trace of him was left on her. 

When she woke in the hospital, she screamed, panicked thinking he was in the shadows. It was Adrien’s face that calmed her. Soothing her while her parents slept just on the other side of the room. 

“I’m here, you're safe,” he smiled, careful of her wounds. She noted the tense muscles and dark bags under his eyes. 

“How much do you know?” She asked quietly. Was he ashamed of her? Angry? The kiss placed gently on her forehead made her eyes sting with tears. 

“He won’t get away with it,  _ I,  _ will find him,” Adrien whispered. Marinette looked away, pain starting to consume her....

She hadn’t seen Adrien in months, she had been attacked in summer, it was winter. Snow fell outside the apartment, her blanket was tucked around her, the wounds left on her body fading aside from the few scars around her stomach and hip. 

She sipped her hot chocolate as her eyes closed. She panicked as her mind tried to return her to the arms of Theo. It scared her how much she worried without knowing what happened. Was he still out there, would he come back for her? To finish her? 

“Princess,” she screamed, dropping the drink as she stood and looked into the green cat like eyes of the hero she hasn’t seen in years. 

“Chat Noir,” it was a whisper, a breath. Chat purred as he approached her, nuzzling against her. The black leather was damp from melted snow, dark spots that smelt oddly to her.

“How?” She asked as his tail wrapped around her leg. 

“You're safe now princess,” he whispered, still holding her, purring louder. His claws gently scraped against her back making her arch. 

“That doesn’t answer the question, did you see Fu? Does mom know?” She continued. The hold got tighter. 

“You're safe,” he repeated. She fell silent, blood, he was covered in blood. But, whose was it?


	9. Model knight

Marinette’s third year of school was  _ hell! _ So many deadlines and to make matters worse, her mannequin was broken. She moved to the bed and dropped down, her phone glowed with the missed calls of a worried mother and anxious father. She had texted them back, but that hadn’t calmed them. She was too busy to call though. She needed to draw a male anatomy and of all days, her internet was down. 

“Why me?” She groaned, the palm of her hands pressing into her closed eyelids. She heard the door open, and waited for either death, or her mother’s anger. Not really sure what the difference was. 

“I’m, should I be worried about all the half naked men tossed about my living room?” Adrien’s voice was calm and unexpected. Marinette sat up, her eyes wide as she eyed the illusive man. It had been several months since she saw him as Chat covered in blood just inches from where they sat now. His latest job sending him off to southern France. 

“Adrien,” she whispered, his name a breath. He smiled at her as she stood and walked over. He hugged her against his chest before looking around and grabbing the closest finished work. 

“So, the drawings? Taking up a new hobby, or?” He raised a brow. Marinette yanked it away, a dark blush over her cheeks. 

“It’s for class, anatomy class.” She hissed through pursed lips. Adrien chuckled before raising his arm so she couldn’t reach the picture. 

“Looks familiar,” he smiled. Marinette hid her face in her hands, humiliated at being caught. Adrien lowered his arm and walked to the kitchen. 

“Let me shower and clean up, then I will model for you.” He told her. Marinette yelped, rushing into exploration. Adrien had not modeled since his father’s capture, well aside from the one time for the Calendar fundraiser. Adrien allowed her to come to terms as he went for the bathroom. 

Marinette quickly cleaned up her rough sketches. True, they resembled Adrien, but her artwork didn’t capture him. How could she capture what she had never seen before? Only ever dreamed of. 

She prepared her easel and a clean canvas, getting her pencils ready. Her heart hammered as she tried to mentally prepare for what was about to happen. Adrien and her had flirted for years, but they never dated again. That bridge had been blocked since ending school. 

She wasn’t aware of how much time had passed, so when the cool touch of his fingers against the nape of her neck made her shiver, she looked up. He was naked, completely. His body toned from being on the force, his blonde hair was long on top, but shaved at the back of his head and on the sides. He had not lost those model looks she fell for. 

“Cat got your tongue?” He purred, leaning in. 

“Not yet,” she whispered before remembering this wasn’t another one of her wet dreams. 

“I-I mean-“ she blushed and panicked, earning his deep laugh. He stood in the center of the room, spreading his legs and lifting his arms above his head, crossing them into a comfortable position. 

“Good view?” He teased, loving the ever constant blush on her cheeks. Marinette was unable to form words, taking a seat behind her canvas. Adrien waited for her to adjust, well aware of what he was doing to her. She was gorgeous, her hair down, framing her face and making her blue eyes sparkle brightly in the light of the room. He heard her pencil scratch against the material, watching her as she sketched, paused, examined him, and continued on. 

He felt himself harden as he remained under her stare. Concentrating on keeping his breathing even despite the situation growing. 

“Adrien,” she whispered, her watching paused as he realized he was no longer in the center of the room. She looked up at him, her eyes curious, his possessive. The kiss was timid and shy, his hand gently holding her shoulder as they made out in the center of the room. He was naked, she was clothed. 

He found the hem of her shirt and slowly began to pull it over her head, breaking the kiss to remove the shirt completely. She wore a red bra, it stood out against her pale skin. He ran a finger over the fading scar just above the hem of her jeans. 

“I’ll kill him again,” Adrien growled. Marinette shook her head, grabbing the hand at her hip. 

“It’s over now kitty,” she whispered, pressing herself against his chest. He purred, a remnant of Chat. 

“Sadly, it will never be over. I’m still Adrien Agreste,” he said, kissing the small indent between her shoulder and neck. She responded by kissing his Adam’s apple. 

“I love Adrien Agreste,” she smiled as his hold on her tightened. 


	10. A mother’s love

When you die, life rewinds like snapshots, memories, moments frozen in time. 

She felt like she would die when she saw him over her grandchild. Adrien, no, Chat Noir injured, blood covering his side as the fox stood beside the elderly man. Marinette crying as she tried to move from the hospital bed, her scars reopening from the c-section. 

“How dare you return!” Sabine snarled, her voice dangerous as nurses stood at the door. Fu held the crying baby closer before turning to the angry woman. 

“Fate has a way of working,” he replied calmly as if he were not kidnapping a child. Chat stumbled forward, only for the fox to lash out with It’s flute again. 

Sabine saw red, starting to move forward with no real plan of action, but, when death stands before you, you can’t react. 

She saw their smiles,  _ his  _ smile,  _ their  _ wedding. Marinette. Playing games, baking. She felt hot tears as Fu threatened to take away the last of her sanity. Tom was fighting them both, protecting his family. Sabine dried her eyes before launching at Fu again. If Tom was willing to use Chat’s baton to fight the fox, she would use what was around her, to save their grandchild. 

He was an elderly man, but he still held a miraculous, he still had power. Sabine has to fight without hurting the baby. She couldn’t be distracted by her daughter's screams or the father's begs for mercy. 

Diapers, lotions, a clip board. Fu was nimble, dodging everything as he tried to escape. A commotion had them pause before Fu went for the window. Sabine ran past unsure who gave her the baton. 

“Enough Fu, it’s over.” The fox wasn’t present, did they fail, or were they watching from the shadows? Fu stood on the roof, the baby wailing as the mother and former master stood off. 

“I shall return the child on It’s thirteenth birthday,” Fu announced. Sabine wouldn’t stand for that. 

They say during a stressful moment, adrenaline pumps through your blood to cause superhuman strength. Sabine, to this day, will always say it was the kwami of destruction that saved Marinette and Adrien’s child. But, as she raced forward to grab her grandchild, Fu was turning to dust before her eyes. His ashes were taken by the soft wind. 

It was anticlimactic, no bravado, but, what villain deserved the fanfare? She rocked the child, cooing to them as she eyed the window she had jumped from. How would she return? Laughter,  _ her  _ laughter, filled the area as she noticed Tom poke his head out of the window. She hadn’t noticed the staff disappear, but it made sense. Plagg was curled against the baby, purring to help calm it. 

It was over, for now. The miraculous box was still missing, but that was a problem for later. She relaxed once she was returned to the room. Marinette held her baby as Adrien complained on his own hospital bed. Tom, loving them both. 

As for Adrien, he will never tell the truth about the box hidden in the back of his and Marinette’s closet. A secret he would regret when their daughter was found pouncing across Paris as a fox. 

Marinette would never admit how proud she was when she saw a black cat and fox run across rooftops chasing the other. 

Sabine will never tell of how Tikki visited her the night before she passed of old age. And Tom, he was proud to keep his position as guardian, always ready to help if his son or grandchildren needed him. 

Adrien cried when Sabine passed, inconsolable tears worse than Marinette or Tom. A mother’s love had given him the gift of family. Something he would always covet. He never got to say goodbye to his birth mother, but he had said goodbye and so much more to his  _ real  _ mother. 


End file.
